


Memento mei

by violetbear



Category: Mass Effect: Andromeda
Genre: Head Injury, Injury Recovery, M/M, Memory Loss
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-16
Updated: 2019-10-13
Packaged: 2020-09-01 19:56:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 4,785
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20263675
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/violetbear/pseuds/violetbear
Summary: A freak accident on Voeld. How does Scott handle it? How does Reyes?





	1. Chapter 1

His head hurt. If he was honest, all of him hurt but his head hurt the worst. He couldn’t remember the last time his head hurt like this. What had happened? Where was he? All was dark except for far above him. Stars glittered at him from the hole in the ceiling far, far above him. Where was he? And why was he so cold?

“Scott. Scott, please answer me.”  
Who was that? He tried to sit up but it made his headache worse. What had happened? And who was screaming at him?  
“Who’s there?” What he tried to say forcefully came out more like a groan. What had happened? Why couldn’t he remember?  
“Don’t worry, Scott. Help is coming.”  
“What happened?”

“You fell. The ice and snow cracked under your feet and before I could react you were falling. You hit your head as you fell through the hole and was rendered unconscious. It limited my ability to help you. I was able to activate your biotic barrier to shield you. It’s the only reason you’re alive and relatively unharmed.”  
“You did? How did..?” Shivers shook his whole body. He was so cold. He needed to get somewhere warmer. He tried to sit up again.  
“Please stay still. You have a bruised spinal column and I’m concerned about your head and neck injuries. Stay still until I can complete my diagnosis.”

“Complete? Why can’t I see you? Show yourself.”  
“Show myself? Scott, do you know who I am?”  
“No.” He was alone in the dark with a voice. With no clue to how he had gotten here. “What happened?”  
“Stand by.”  
“Stand by? What happened? Who are you?” No answer. No sounds but his own breathing. “Come back. Please don’t leave me alone. He was scared. He didn’t want to be alone. “Come back”, he pleaded. “Please.” He was so tired. He fought to keep his eyes open before finally letting them.

He opened his eyes to a bland gray ceiling.  
“Lexi, he is awake.”  
That voice. He had heard that voice before. Hadn’t he?  
“Who?”  
“It’s alright, Scott.” An asari appeared in his view. “You’re safe. You’re back on the Tempest.”  
“Tempest?” He tried to sit up but found he couldn’t move. At all. “Why can’t I move? What happened?”  
“I didn’t want you injuring yourself further when you woke up. It should wear off soon. Before we reach Meridian at least.”

“Meridian? What’s that and who are you?”  
“Doctor.” The voice he vaguely recognized was back. “I believe it’s as we feared. I’ve found deep bruising on Scott’s Hippocampus. I believe it is the source of his memory issues.”  
“I was hoping we were wrong about this”, the asari sighed.  
“I am never wrong. And since I’ve known you, I could say the same about you.”  
“First time for everything.”  
He was so confused.

“Excuse me. Who are you? Who is he? He was in the dark with me. Or was he?”  
“He was.” The asari’s smile no longer reached her eyes. “What else do you remember?”  
“I...” Trying to remember hurt his head. “I don’t know. It hurts. Why couldn’t I see him?”  
“SAM doesn’t have a body. Or I should say his own body. He’s our AI.”  
“AI? But those are illegal.”  
“In the milky way. Not in---“  
“Andromeda.” Now where had that come from?  
“That’s right. That is where we are. What else can you remember?”

“Cold.” A memory was partially forming. But it was mostly blurs. “Getting into a cyro pod beside... Someone. Waking up. Alone. I was alone. Where did they go?”  
“There were some issues when we first got here. But they’re fine. Let’s forget that for now and see if you can recall the basics?”  
“Basics of what?”  
“What’s your name?”  
“Scott?” It’s what they kept calling him anyway.  
“Last name?”  
“Umm.” Nothing. He couldn’t remember anything. “I can’t remember. What happened?”

“You had a fall. A bad one.” She laid a hand on his arm. “But you’re going to be okay. Can you remember anything else? Family members? Events? Anything? Anyone?”  
“No. I remember being in the dark. Someone saying... Something. Nothing else. What happened?”  
She patted his arm and stepped out of his view.

“SAM, contact Sara and have her meet us on Meridian. Try not to alarm her. Reyes too.”  
“Lieutenant Harper has already contacted them. They are both heading there now, though we should reach Meridian before them.”  
“Okay, then. Anything you can do to help?”  
“Unfortunately not. Even if I accelerated the healing of the bruising, it would still be at least a week or two before it faded completely.”  
“Do that. Maybe it will solve the issue. How long until we reach Meridian?”  
“One hour.”  
“Keep him under until then. Let’s give his body the rest it needs.”  
So tired again. He fought to stay awake. He needed answers. But he swiftly lost the fight.


	2. Chapter 2

It had finally happened. The call he had been dreading since he first fell in love with him. Scott’s hurt. Come to Meridian. Quickly. He had run from headquarters without a second thought. Keema had called after him but he didn’t hear what she said. He jumped into the first shuttle he saw, pulling out his pistol and ordering the pilot out, and made for Meridian. He landed and ran some more. He didn’t stop running until he reached the med bay and saw Scott’s crew assembled outside the doors. He studied them as he approached. They all looked fine. Worried but fine. So what had happened to Scott?

Cora looked up from the floor and spotted him.  
“Reyes. You made good time.”  
“You did say quickly.” He walked over and joined them, surprised when Cora hugged him. Scott’s crew were close. More like family. But that closeness wasn’t extended to him. Most of them still didn’t trust him fully. So for Cora to be hugging him and no one reaching for hidden weapons... “He’s dying. Isn’t he?”  
“No.” Cora pulled away but still kept a hand on his arm. “Physically, he’s fine. Badly bruised but fine.”  
“Not that any of us have been allowed in to see him”, Peebee muttered, scuffing the floor with her shoe.  
“You heard the doc”, Drack said. “Kid’s confused enough without us adding to it.”  
“Confused”, Reyes asked. “What’s wrong with Scott? What happened?”

“He fell”, Liam said, finally looking up from the floor. His eyes, usually full of hate for him, were blank. “Right in front of us. It happened so fast. All we could do was watch.”  
“Fell?” Liam might not be feeling any hate toward him at the moment but he was feeling plenty for the both of them. “You let my husband fall. Again. And you did nothing’, he growled.  
Liam opened his mouth but lost his nerve and returned his gaze to the floor. Nobody spoke. Nobody would look at him. Even Cora had taken her hand off his arm. He breathed, trying to calm himself so he could get the whole story. So he could see Scott.

“We were on Voeld.” Peebee’s whisper finally broke the silence. “Walking back to the nomad after delivering supplies to a group of scientists exploring a bunch of ice caves.” Her voice broke. Vetra laid a hand on her arm. Peebee hugged herself before continuing. “Fiend had attacked their camp, destroying their supplies. Word came in when we were getting ready to leave Techix and return to the ship. The Angara wouldn’t be able to resupply them for a couple of days. Scott overheard and... Well, you know him.”  
“Yeah.” 

Scott was always trying to help everyone, no matter what they needed or how busy he already was. Or how far away. He remembered when Scott had figured out he was sick when they were on a vid call. He had said good night. He’d see him in a week. When Reyes had woke up the next morning, Scott walked into the bedroom, a bowl of soup in his hands. “He hears someone’s in need and he has to be there.”  
But his question still hadn’t been fully answered. So he asked it again.  
“What happened?”

“Peebee and I were fooling around, throwing snowballs at each other.” Liam’s gaze didn’t leave the floor. “Scott was a couple feet ahead of us, laughing, telling us to enjoy the snow when it lasted. Peebee hit me in the face when we heard a loud crack. Turned toward it to see Scott’s upper half disappearing down a hole that hadn’t been there just a second ago. We ran. Peebee tried to catch him with her biotics but...”  
“Too late. We reached the hole and looked in just in time to see his barrier fade far below us. It was so dark. And quiet. Even with our lights we couldn’t see him or the ground. We yelled for him but he didn’t answer. We called the Tempest and...” Peebee trailed off. Just when he couldn’t stand the silence anymore Cora spoke.

“They called the Tempest in a panic. We already knew something was wrong but thanks to SAM’s readout in the med bay, we knew Scott was still alive. Alive but we didn’t know how badly injured he was. And SAM wasn’t talking. I grabbed Vetra and Drack and we ran to help.”  
“How long was he down there? How far did he fall?”  
“Found a way in fairly quick as we discovered Scott had fallen into another frozen city. But he had fallen into it pretty much dead center. Took us an hour of hacking through half thawed ice and snow to reach him. And when we did...”  
“Thought the kid was dead. He was so still. SAM had knocked him out so he couldn’t injure himself more. Cora used her biotics to lift him onto the stretcher and we rushed him back to the ship. Then Lexi-“

“Can take it from here”, Lexi said, as she joined them. “The rest of you go eat and rest.”  
There was some mid grumbling but he was soon left alone with Lexi. Maybe now his questions would be fully answered.  
“What happened? How’s Scott? When can I see him?”  
“For falling sixty feet, he’s in great shape. Bruises aplenty but nothing’s broken.”  
“Sixty feet? How?’  
“SAM was able to use his biotics to create a barrier around him. But that was all he could do. Scott hit his head as he fell through the hole and was rendered unconscious. Without SAM, he’d be dead right now.”  
“Story of Scott’s life since waking up in Andromeda. Is he awake? Can I see him?”  
“He is. Let me finish and then you can see him. That is, if you want to.”  
“Want to? Of course I do. Why do you say that? I flew all this way to see him.”

“When he hit his head or when he landed, we don’t know when exactly, his brain suffered some bruising. Bad bruising. Especially on his hippocampus. Do you know what that is?”  
“No.”  
“Memory center of the brain.”  
“Memory? So Scott...”  
“Doesn’t remember a thing. Except that we’re in Andromeda. He doesn’t remember me or Sara or you or even his own name. I’m hoping that when the bruising fades, his memories come back.”

The thought that Scott was physically unarmed should have brought him joy. And it did. A little bit. But Scott not remembering him? How could that be? After everything they’d been through together. The nights they spent together. How could his husband have no memory of him? And not just of him. Of anything. What if his memories never came back? Could they begin again? Would Scott still love him? Still choose him?

“Reyes?” Lexi’s voice pulled him from his thoughts. “Are you alright?”  
“Yeah.” Well, no. This was all so confusing. But he did know one thing. “I need to see him. Can I?”  
“Are you sure? It might be difficult for you. Both of you. You don’t need to see him.”  
“Yeah, I know but I do. I need to see him, Lexi. Maybe it will help him remember.”  
“Sara thought that too. It didn’t turn out like she wanted.”  
“How is she?”  
“She’s back in Alec’s room. It was tough for her. I let her use the maintenance tunnels to get back there so she wouldn’t have to see anyone. I’ll ask one more time. Are you sure?”  
“I need to see him. Please, Lexi.”  
“Alright then. Follow me.”


	3. Chapter 3

He felt horrible. He’d made that girl cry. No. She wasn’t just a girl. She was his sister. His twin. How could he forget that? How could he forget her? He wanted to remember. Why couldn’t he? He wanted to remember before he made someone else cry.

Looking down, he glimpsed the ring on his left hand. He was married. He was married to someone and he didn’t remember. He didn’t remember them. Nothing about them. Their name. How they looked. How they made him feel. Nothing. He wanted to remember. He hated this. Everyone knew him and he knew no one.

“Scott?”  
He looked up to see the asari... Lexi standing at the foot of his bed. A man stood beside her. Dark hair, caramel skin, and gorgeous golden eyes.  
“Hey”, he said to Lexi, tearing his eyes off the man. “Can we do this later?” He looked back down at the bed and started playing with the blanket. “I don’t... I made her cry. Sara. I can’t... I don’t want to do that again. Not to anybody else. Please can he leave? Can you both leave?”

“Lexi, leave us.” The man spoke with an accent that he couldn’t place. But he liked it. “I want to talk to Scott alone.”  
“Are you sure?”  
“Positive.”  
There was a long moment of silence. Scott didn’t dare look up.  
“Fine. But I’m going to wait just outside. Let SAM know if you need anything.”  
Words were whispered too low for him to listen in. Then someone was walking away and someone was sitting down. Not on the chair beside the bed, as Sara had, but on the bed itself.

“You don’t remember me”, the man said. Another difference. Anytime Sara said that, it was a question. A tear-filled question. The man said it with no emotion. But no matter how it was said, he was tired of saying no. He shook his head and continued to play with the blanket. “You don’t remember Sara. Or SAM. Lexi or the rest of your crew.”  
“Don’t remember anything. I’m sure Lexi told you that.”  
“Don’t remember your own crew. Pretty sad for the captain of the Tempest to forget his own crew.”  
“Captain?” He raised his head to see the man had a small smile on his lips. “You’re lying. I’m too young. I’m only 23.”  
“You remember how old you are?”  
“Lexi told me. She told me about SAM. Sara. Why I can’t remember.”  
“She tell you anything about me?”  
“No.” He dropped his gaze back to the blanket so he wouldn’t see the man’s expression. “I don’t... I know nothing about you.”

More silence. At least there was no sound of crying as with Sara.  
“My name is Reyes Vidal. I live on Kadara. Did Lexi tell you about Kadara?”  
“No. It’s a planet?”  
“Yes. I’m... Well, they call me the Charlatan.”  
‘Charlatan? Sounds shady.”  
“Started out that way. Until I met someone. Of course you have to be a little bit shady and underhanded to work behind the scenes to overthrow a government. So I resisted. Flirted plenty but told myself it could never work between us. The shady Charlatan and the golden boy of the Initiative. No way would it ever work between us. But then they started helping Kadara. Helping me. When I became king of Kadara, I realized I loved him. Realized he loved me back. That was... Changed my whole outlook. I know every day how lucky I am to have him in my life. That he said yes when I asked him to marry me. That you said yes.”  
“Me? You’re...”  
“The luckiest man in Andromeda. I’m your husband, Scott.”

“I’m sorry.” He brushed aside the tears forming in his eyes. He was tired of crying. Tired of saying the words. “I don’t remember you.”  
“It’s okay.” A hand was under his chin, forcing him to look up at Reyes. His eyes were sad but the small smile was still on his lips. “You’ve always been great at getting around obstacles. This one won’t stop you for long.”  
“And if it does? If I never remember?”  
“We start again. And I get to woo you all over again.”

It had been a long and confusing day. He was exhausted and lost. He knew no one but something was telling him the man before him understood. That no matter what, everything would be okay. So when the tears started again, he threw his arms around Reyes and buried his head into his shoulder. Reyes hugged him close, rubbing his back.  
“Shh, it’s alright. I’m here, my love. We’ll figure it out together.”

He felt safe. For the first time since waking up in that cave he felt safe again. A feeling he knew would fade swiftly if he stayed here. He needed out and maybe Reyes would be the way.  
“Get me out of here, Reyes. I hate it here.”  
“I’m not surprised. You and anything medicinal never got on well.”  
“Sara told me about mom. Is that why?”  
“What else did she tell you?”  
“A lot. But then she started crying and it was all my fault.”  
“No, it wasn’t, baby. It’s no one’s fault. Let me go and I’ll talk to Lexi. I have an idea that will get you out of here.”

He let go, still sniffling a bit. Reyes brushed a hand down one cheek, wiping off some of his tears.  
“Reyes.”  
“I’ll be right back. SAM, where’s Lexi?”  
“Outside. Should I tell her you require her?”  
“No. I’ll go to her. Stay here, Scott.”  
“Kay.” Watching Reyes leave, he had hope for the first time. Maybe everything would return to normal soon.


	4. Chapter 4

He woke up as the chairs he had pushed together to sleep on came apart once more and dropped him to the floor.  
“Maybe I should have asked for a couch to be brought in”, he grumbled, pushing the chairs back together.  
“Reyes?”  
“Go back to sleep, Scott. I’m fine.” He smiled toward the bed even though he couldn’t see Scott in the dark. “Go to sleep.”  
“Chairs can’t be very comfortable to sleep on.”  
“Well you don’t have a couch in here so I have no choice.”

He didn’t want to scare Scott by moving too fast. If refusing to sleep beside him meant a sleepless night, so be it.  
“Yes, you do. This bed is big enough for two.”  
“I’m fine. I don’t-“  
“We’re married. We’ve shared a bed before.”  
“Not that you remember”, he mumbled, picking his pillow up.  
“I don’t remember a whole lot right now but what I do know is you’re my husband”  
“Because I told you that.”  
“And I’m not going to sleep again until you’re beside me.”  
“Stubborn as always, aren’t we”, he chuckled.  
“I wouldn’t know. SAM, lights.”

His smile grew as he finally saw Scott. Sitting up in bed, arms crossed, glaring at him.  
“There’s my love”. He whispered.  
“Bed, Now.”  
“Yes, my-“He bit his tongue. Teasing Scott by implying he was royalty was done in good fun between them. Now was not the time for it. Not until his love remembered once more. Blanket in hand, he walked over to the bed and lay down, making sure to leave space between them. “Happy?”  
“Yes. SAM.” The lights turned off as he felt Scott lay down. “Now go to sleep.”

He lay in the dark, listening to Scott breathe. His love was alive. That was the important thing. He had to keep remembering that. It could have turned out so much worse. Without SAM’s help... He turned over in bed as he remembered what Lexi had whispered to him. They hadn’t told Scott about SAM. Not his true capabilities. Not that they shared a body. That he would die without him. So how...  
“Go to sleep, Reyes.”  
“How did you know to ask SAM to turn on the lights?”  
“Go to sleep.”  
“Answer my question and I will.”  
“And you call me stubborn. I don’t know. Heard a voice. It told me to say that.”  
“A voice.” Good going, SAM.

“Yeah. It sounded like... Why is SAM in my head?”  
“Thanks, Lexi”, he whispered. “Leave it to me.”  
“Reyes?”  
“Promise not to freak out?”  
“I promise no such thing.”  
“Well, try not to anyway.” How to tell his love his mind and body weren’t completely his own? That the AI he knew about shared it with him. Maybe he should start at the beginning. “SAM was created by your father to try to save your mother.”


	5. Chapter 5

A week. It had been a week since he woke up here with no memory of what came before. A terrible and confusing week. He was sick of not remembering. Of upsetting his twin. She had come to visit him again in what he now knew was their fathers room. She had stayed for only ten minutes before she had to leave. He wanted to remember so he’d stop causing her pain. Stop causing everyone he was suppose to know pain and sorrow. Especially Reyes. Not that Reyes ever showed it.

He was with him every day. Telling him stories. Trying to help him remember what he should know. Showing him videos of what he’d done. And the nights? He always made sure to keep space between though they shared the bed now. He had married a gentleman. He knew Reyes would laugh at that. But it was true. Reyes was a kind, caring man. At least to him. And that’s all that mattered. But if he didn’t remember soon he was going to close that gap on the bed and show him he didn’t want a complete gentleman. He wanted him. And he knew Reyes wanted him. Even if he wasn’t alone in his body.

“Hello, Scott.”  
“Hey, SAM.” He came to a stop before the console in SAM node. “This must be frustrating to you too.”  
“How are you doing, Scott?”  
“You know how I’m doing, SAM. You always have. You always will. We’re stuck together until the day I die. Never mind”, he sighed, sitting down on the floor. “I have a feeling we’ve had this conversation before.”  
“We have. Multiple times.”  
“Wish I could remember. Wish I could remember more than this week.”  
“The fact that you’ve remembered everything since you work up-“  
“Yeah, I know. Sign I might fully recover and remember everything. Lexi already told me. But when?”  
“Unknown. You still have slight bruising on your hippocampus.”  
“Anything you can do to help?”  
“Unfortunately-“

“There you are.” Reyes walked into SAM node and stopped at his feet. “Why are you in here?”  
“Walls were closing in on me. Needed a change of scenery. And it was here or med bay.”  
“And we both know you’d never willingly choose med bay. Of course if you had, we could have walked back together.”  
“You could walk me back to my room.” He got to his feet and took Reyes’s offered hand.  
”Sure. I was heading that way anyway. And it’s past time you were in bed.”  
“You’re not going to start lecturing me like Lexi does, are you?”  
“We don’t lecture. We lovingly demand.”  
“I stand corrected.”

He could see why he had married Reyes. Especially with everything that had happened this week. Reyes had barely left his side since he woke up on Meridian and he must be needed back on Kadara. Being king of Kadara had to be a full time job with what Reyes had told him of the planet. Although it kept Reyes away from his own duties, he was glad he was here. And it was past time to show him that.

“You’re planning something”, Reyes said, letting go of his hand as he sat down on the bed.  
“Am I?” He kicked off his shoes and pulled his shirt over his head. “How can you tell?”  
“That look on your face. Plus, I know you too well.”  
“Glad one of us does. What were you doing at the med bay?”  
“Checking in with Lexi.”  
“I already told you what she told me.”  
“Not everything’s about you, dear.” Reyes undressed and lay down on his side of the bed. “She wanted to check in with me. See how I’m holding up.”  
“Oh, okay. SAM, turn off the lights, please. You know, you don’t have to stay. I know this has to be difficult for you.”  
“I’m not going anywhere.” Reyes grabbed his hand. “You need me.”  
“True.”  
“Now go to sleep. Lexi wants to see you at seven for a scan.”

“Oh, joy. But before that.” He found Reyes in the dark and straddled him. “I believe I need to show you some appreciation. “  
“Scott, I don’t think-“  
He leaned down and found Reyes’s lips.  
“You can’t tell me we’ve never done this.”  
“No. We have.” Reyes’s hands were at his hips. “Many times.”  
“Of course I’m going to need a little help remembering the steps.”  
“Of course.” Reyes wrapped his arms around his neck and pulled him down. “Step one”, Reyes murmured before kissing him.


	6. Chapter 6

Reyes woke up in the middle of the night, cursing his own stupidity. Why had he done that? With Scott’s legs still tangled in his, he knew why but he also knew why he should’ve told Scott no. Lexi was going to murder him when she found out. Her or Sara. What an idiot he’d been.

A muffled sob came from beside him. He turned his head, barely able to see in the dim lighting of the room. Scott’s face was pressed into his pillow. And Reyes realized he could feel his legs shaking a little bit. Fuck He had messed up bad. He put a hand on Scott’s back.  
“I’m sorry, Scott. I never should have... I’ll call Lexi and I... I’ll leave. I’m sorry, Scott. I’m so so sorry.”

“I’m never going to live this down”, Scott said, lifting his head and swiping at his eyes. His voice was tinged not with tears as Reyes had first thought but with laughter. “Never ever.”  
“Live what down? Are you laughing?”  
“Yes. What did you...? Oh, Reyes.” Scott pulled him closer, kissing him. “I love you.”  
“Why are you laughing?”  
“Though I am disappointed one of the things you didn’t tell me was the night we spent under the stars after our shuttle crashed. It’s one of my favourite memories.”  
“We crashed, remember? It’s a little bit embarrassing for me.” Scott kissed him once more before he realized what he had said. “Wait. You remember that?”

“I remember everything”, Scott murmured, kissing him again. “Thank you. For everything. For not leaving me.”  
“How could I? You’re my husband. My love.”  
“I love you.” Scott cuddled against him, his head on his chest.  
“I love you too”, he murmured, kissing the top of his head. “I’m glad you remember though. It was... difficult for me.”  
“I can’t even imagine. What you went through. I’m sorry.”  
“It wasn’t your fault, baby. It was a freak accident. No one could have predicted it.”

They lay there in the dark, just enjoying being in each others presence. Until something occurred to him.  
“Scott?”  
“Mmmm?”  
“You never answered me. Why were you laughing?”  
“Oh, that. Well, you know how in vids when someone loses their memory, another bang to the head usually fixes it?”  
“Yes.”  
“Guess I needed another kind of bang”, Scott giggled.  
“Keep it up and I’ll make sure everyone knows it too.”  
“Which is why I said I’d never live it down. Keep up, dear.”  
“Go to sleep. You have an early scan tomorrow. Remember?”  
“Do I still have to go? I’m better now.”

He answered Scott not with words but with another kiss on his hair. He didn’t care what Scott said. He was getting a full check up in the morning. He knew Lexi would agree with him.  
“Reyes?”  
“Go to sleep, my queen. An exciting morning of needles and scans is not too far off.”  
“Oh, joy”, Scott deadpanned. “Can’t wait.”  
“Sleep.” He waited in the dark, listening as Scott’s breathing slowed. He pressed one last kiss to Scott’s hair before falling asleep himself.


End file.
